Another build for Novvember 2012...
The 'Desert Viper' is a short-range interplanetary fighter with atmospheric flight capabilities and adapted to function in extreme environments.

About this creation

It was first deployed by the Albion Expeditionary Force during their ill-fated campaign on the dust world of Anaglypta. The goal of the campaign was to secure a reliable supply of Glutonium, the stickiest substance in the universe. The technologically inferior but famously stubborn Anaglyptans were unwilling to sign a trade agreement, so it was felt that a show of force would help to convince them.

Built by Beyond Midnight Engineering, the F-17B was designed to be able to take off and manouvre even in the middle of a dust storm, and was a success in the field as recorded in the memoirs of AEF Brigadier Algernon Stewart-Lethbridge (ret'd):

"The Desert Viper was a highly capable craft, which time and again exceeded expectations in a variety of roles in this most difficult of combat theatres. It was in no way responsible for the failure of Operation Inspire Respect, which instead foundered on poor field intelligence, the tenacious resistance put up by the Anaglyptans and the fact that most of the time you couldn't see 10 yards in front of your own face for the dust."

"In fact, so successful was it at establishing air superiority, that the Desert Viper was to be the lynchpin of planned follow up missions, Operation Regain Lost Dignity and Operation Exact Retribution. Unfortunately, the penny-pinchers and bleeding heart liberals in the Hegemonic Parliament didn't approve a return campaign."

Early prototypes of the Desert Viper were extensively greebled. However, all the greebles were sandblasted off during the first flight tests in field conditions, and proved to have no effect on performance. When the military engineer responsible for greebling was asked why he had wasted so much time and money on it, he muttered something about 'tactical considerations' and 'it looked cool'.

The cockpit was completely sealed against the Anaglyptan atmosphere and the vacuum of space. However, pilots still complained that the gritty dust somehow got into their underpants during every mission.

Reverse shot - spaceships look so much cooler displayed on an angled stand.

Hope you enjoyed it, 3 days of Novvember left to post your Vic Vipers!

Excellent take on the VV, Stuart. I love the color choices. Dk red is one of my favorite LEGO colors and matching with the tan is a great touch. Really gives it that desert look you were going for. I also like the cylindrical prongs. Great photo editing as well. Very nicely done, sir.

First of all :"Anaglyptans"! I assume that they're a race of aliens with very rough, textured skins who can climb and stick to walls with great ease. What a brilliant choice of name! Perhaps a giant, paint covered roller would have scared them? The names of the various operations are a great take on the rather over-blown style that the Pentagon likes to use and there's that Dr Who reference too. I love the idea of the greebles being sandblasted away and the crews discovering that it had no effect. A wonderfully write-up. Oh yes, and you built a space ship too :) I like the choice of colours and especially the dark red trailing edge on the main wing plus this is really close to the shape of the original VV. Great work!